Philadelphia, PA

Nicholas Kripal

http://www.nicholaskripal.com

Originally entitled Swarm and commissioned for an installation totaling 66 individual terra cotta sculptures at the Philadelphia International Airport, December 2009 - June 2010.  That installation was sited within three, twenty-two foot long cases.  The installation utilized historical, vintage, and contemporary food molds and serving containers that were slip-cast and assembled to construct numerous individual hybrid terra sculptures.  These sculptures referenced the evolution of industrial design influences, city-planning strategies – or lack thereof – and architectural iconographic ornamentation like that found on historical buildings across Philadelphia, to create an “abstract urban cityscape.”  Twenty-six individual sculptures from that original installation were selected by Kripal and arranged on/within two specifically designed vitrine covered pedestals to create this installation Swarm: Reconfigured No. 2 for the Pennsylvania Convention Center Art Collection.